Banijay Group announced a strategic partnership with RedBird IMI to merge Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, creating a global media and entertainment powerhouse. The combined company will operate under the Banijay name and will be jointly owned by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, each holding a 50% stake.
The transaction brings together two major international television production businesses with extensive creative portfolios across scripted and unscripted programming. The combined group produces globally recognized content, including The Traitors, Big Brother, Survivor, Peaky Blinders, Gogglebox, and Oscar-nominated Hamnet, alongside theatre productions such as the multi-award-winning The Lehman Trilogy.
Following completion of the transaction, Marco Bassetti, currently CEO of Banijay Entertainment, will serve as CEO of the combined group, while Jane Turton, currently CEO of All3Media, will become Deputy CEO. Jeff Zucker, CEO of RedBird IMI, will serve as Chairman of the Board.
The merger significantly expands Banijay’s scale and intellectual property portfolio. The combined group will encompass more than 170 creative labels across 25 countries and distribute content in nearly 250 territories worldwide. The company will manage a catalogue exceeding 260,000 hours of multi-genre content and produce approximately 20,000 hours annually.
The partnership is designed to strengthen relationships with global streaming platforms and expand the company’s reach in English-language markets. All3Media’s strong footprint across the UK and US complements Banijay Entertainment’s international production network and diversified content platform.
Banijay also expects the transaction to accelerate intellectual property monetization through digital distribution and live experiences. The combination will bring together All3Media’s digital business Little Dot Studios with Banijay’s distribution arm Banijay Rights and live events operations through Banijay Live.
Financially, the transaction includes a full equity rollover of RedBird IMI’s stake in All3Media into the new entity. The structure implies a total cash upstream to Banijay Group of €796 million, consisting of a €625 million payment from RedBird IMI and a €171 million pre-closing dividend paid by Banijay Entertainment to Banijay Group.
On a pro forma basis, the combined entity would have generated revenues exceeding €4.4 billion and adjusted EBITDA of €690 million in 2024. Banijay Group’s total pro forma revenues would reach €7.4 billion with adjusted EBITDA of €1.5 billion.
The transaction is expected to deliver approximately €50 million in cost synergies, with the full run-rate anticipated within 12 months after closing.
The proposed deal remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close by the fall of 2026.
KEY QUOTES:
“When we formed RedBird IMI three years ago, we dreamed of creating a world class, diversified entertainment company that reaches global audiences across scripted and unscripted programming, live events and digital. With this combination of Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, we have realized that goal, and are thrilled to partner with the entire Banijay team.”
Jeff Zucker, CEO of RedBird IMI
“We are delighted to continue to lead the consolidation of the independent content production industry with the combination of Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, creating an even stronger powerhouse. I am also especially pleased to build a partnership with RedBird IMI, with whom we share the same vision for the industry.”
Stéphane Courbit, President of Lov Group Invest
“This transaction represents a decisive step in Banijay Group’s strategy to reinforce its leading position in global entertainment. Banijay Entertainment and All3Media are highly complementary platforms with exceptional creative assets and global ambition. In all our businesses, we are leading consolidation, and this transaction is another demonstration of this in content production, just as the acquisition of Tipico announced recently in sports betting and online gaming.”
François Riahi, CEO of Banijay Group
“Since its inception, Banijay has been driven by entrepreneurialism, ambition, and creativity. In the next phase of our journey, this DNA remains integral to our commitment to building a media and entertainment company that can stand its own, and the test of time, on the global stage. One that can attract and retain the best talent, one that has the means to truly invest in ideation and building the franchises and live events of tomorrow, and one that can lead the way on adopting new technologies, new platforms and new routes to audiences – a truly diversified media and entertainment powerhouse.”
Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay Entertainment
“All3Media has grown from a start-up in 2003 to a globally successful creative business. First and foremost, we are a group where creative and commercial excellence go hand in hand. We celebrate talent and believe in collaboration, ambition and innovation in creating and producing both stunning programmes and delivering impressive financial returns. I am looking forward to working with Marco as All3Media and Banijay embark on this next exciting phase.”
Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media
